In 3D CAD TECH

SAM: How a Quadriplegic Will Drive Under Racetrack Conditions Using Head Movements at the Indy 500

2 Mins Read

After suffering a life-altering crash in 2000 that severely injured his spinal cord, race car driver Sam Schmidt will finally be able to get back on the racetrack after 14 years at the upcoming Indianapolis 500 race later this month. In collaboration with Arrow Electronics, Sam will be driving a specially-outfitted 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray for four laps with a human-to-machine interface that lets him drive the car with millisecond response times using nothing but head and mouth movements. Impressed? This is how it works.

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In DESIGN

The Viora Lid: A Disposable Coffee Lid Inspired By a Real Ceramic Mug

3 Mins Read

It happens to the best of us—that inevitable coffee drip or splash from ‘dinky’ coffee lids. Few things can spoil a morning faster than a sticky mess on your hand, a drip stain on your newly-pressed white shirt, or even a few drops on your co-worker’s meeting brief. It’s surprising that with as many coffee and tea drinkers worldwide, nobody has taken the time to address this insane need and actually delivered a final product.

The Viora Lid just might be the first to address all these minor annoyances with their unique lid design that not only promises to keep the contents in the cup…but also catch any splashes that do happen to slip out.

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In FAB

Behind the Design: The Making of a $1K+ Ali’s Blades Straight Razor

2 Mins Read

Talk to any well-groomed gentleman who uses a straight razor to shave and he’ll tell you that once he chose to go with a straight razor, there was no going back. Aside from a closer shave, the age-old process of lathering up shave cream, wiping off the blade, and working with a potentially lethal tool just has an element of charm that can’t be replicated with a $1 disposable razor.

In this video from master straight razor maker Ali of Ali’s Blades, we get a detailed look at just how much work goes into creating the ultimate tool for the closest shave:

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In 3D CAD TECH

Boot that Butt to the Curb. Quitbit Helps You Kick Smoking.

3 Mins Read

Outside TV commercials of exploding people, chipmunks with black lung gnawing you to death in your sleep and something called ‘cold turkey,’ there’s little convincing someone to squelch that smoking habit, unless they actually decide to take the necessary steps. Turns out, there’s a process, and the journey, should you muster a hacking cough to do it, is long and hard. (Insert clever reverse psychology comment here –>) You’ll fail most likely. However, the Quitbit is just the device, and the first ‘smart lighter’ with companion app, that helps you track your smoking habits to eventually kick the stick.

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In CULTURE

If Kickstarter Had a Retail Store, This is What it Would Look Like

1 Min Read

Last week SolidSmack reported that in celebration of NYCxDesign happening this month in New York City, the MoMA Design Store would be selling a collection of successfully-funded Kickstarter product designs that are among the “most impressive, new and innovative we have been finding lately”, according to MoMA’s Director of Merchandising Emmanuel Platt. We stopped by the MoMA Design Store in SoHo to take a look at the collection—and are quite pleased with the results.

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